So You Think Your Business is Ready to Onboard a Full-Time COO?

Scott Michajluk
Sep 22
3 min read

September 22, 2025

By Scott Michajluk | Fractional COO | Founder, GO Consulting

Lately, I’ve had a lot of conversations with small and mid-sized business (SMB) owners who feel they’ve reached the point where they “need” a full-time COO. The logic makes sense: the business is growing, complexity is rising, and the founder is feeling pulled in too many directions. The natural conclusion is to bring on an executive operator to drive discipline, structure, and scale.

But here’s the hard truth: while many SMBs may be ready for operational leadership, they aren’t necessarily ready (or able) to carry the weight of a full-time executive hire. That’s where a fractional COO can be the smarter first step.

The Gap Between Desire and Readiness

Founders often say they want a COO, but when you dig into the details, the business isn’t quite there yet. A few common realities I’ve seen:

Advisor vs. Operator Confusion: What’s often needed at this stage isn’t a constant C-suite presence. It’s a seasoned operator who can assess systems, prioritize changes, and build rhythm into the business. That requires experience, not necessarily 40–60 hours a week.
Premature Scaling: A founder sees bottlenecks and assumes they need a full-time executive to fix them. In reality, the issues can often be solved with targeted systems, better delegation, and accountability structures. Things a fractional leader can design and implement.
Revenue vs. Compensation Mismatch: A full-time executive COO expects a hefty six-figure salary plus performance incentives. Many SMBs, even those doing $3M–$5M in annual revenue, can’t support that level of pay without cutting deep into profitability.

Why Fractional May Be the Right Fit First

Instead of hiring a full-time leader in a compensation band better suited to a director-level scope, SMBs get far more value by engaging with a fractional executive-level COO:

Executive-Level Expertise Without the Full-Time Price Tag You’re paying for judgment, not just hours. A fractional COO brings decades of experience, applied surgically to the areas that matter most right now.
Focus on Impact, Not Hours Fractional leadership is designed around results. Building scalable processes, clarifying accountability, and setting the business on a path to run smoothly. A perfect example of this would be implementing and/or integrating established EOS/Traction rhythms.
Bridge to a Full-Time Hire Fractional support helps prepare your business for the day you really are ready to carry a full-time executive. You’ll know what competencies are most critical, you’ll have cleaner financials, and you’ll avoid hiring prematurely into the wrong seat.

What SMB Leaders Should Ask Themselves

Before you write that full-time COO job description, ask:

Do we have enough complexity to require daily executive oversight, or do we really need targeted expertise and systems put in place?
Would bringing in a fractional COO for 6–12 months give us the structure and clarity to know when we’re truly ready for a full-time hire?
Can my business realistically afford a full-time executive salary and bonus package right now?

Curious if your business is truly ready for a full-time COO, or if a fractional partner would create more impact right now?

Hiring a COO is one of the biggest steps a founder will ever take. But just because you feel the need doesn’t mean the business is structurally ready. In many cases, the smarter, more cost-effective path is to start with fractional executive leadership. Remember, it’s not about filling a chair. It’s about building the right foundation so when you do bring on a full-time COO, they walk into a business ready to run.

At Go Consulting, we offer a Free Operational Rhythm Check to give you a crystal clear view of your current operations. In one session, we can assess your systems, structure, and capacity to determine whether your business is best suited for a full-time executive hire or a fractional engagement.

Schedule your Free Operational Rhythm Check and make sure your next step is the right step for your business.